High in the mountains-over 10,000 ft in altitude, an unusual protagonist takes center stage: the white bark pine. This odd-looking tree may not seem like much, but it is the giver of life not only on high but also to everything below. We explore life at the highest altitudes, profiling the animals who rely on the tree for protection or sustenance: the grizzly bear, Clark's nutcracker, red squirrels, and bighorn sheep.
Our story follows three key predators in the Yellowstone Ecosystem: the wolf, red fox, and coyote. For centuries, man worked to eradicate these canids from the landscape. Scientists realized in the late 20th century that a balanced and healthy ecosystem needs these animals. Scientists and officials from the Grand Teton National Park have embarked on a multi-year tagging effort to understand best how to live with all three of these canid predators.
The headwaters of seven major rivers run from the Continental Divide across the ecosystem and flow into the western United States. Its waters carve the landscape, creating natural boundaries. They also provide thriving habitats to various creatures, both big and small. With 21st-century threats like climate change and drought, the Yellowstone Ecosystem needs all the rivers and streams it can get-the ecological hero: the beaver.
The Yellowstone region is one of the planet's largest, nearly intact temperate zone ecosystems. The area surrounding Yellowstone is also the fastest-growing population center in the western United States, doubling its population since 1970. Red squirrels, pygmy rabbits, and pelicans-are all proverbial "canaries in the coal mine." By understanding these creatures better and their habitats, scientists and the citizenry of the ecosystem can find solutions to cope with the changing environment.
